


Sihobeon

by NemesisNyx, Varalisse



Series: The Falasion Legacy [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-05-15 00:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14780106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemesisNyx/pseuds/NemesisNyx, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varalisse/pseuds/Varalisse
Summary: Moments of Sihobeon (Sparkles) life before and when Thravang isn't aroundUPDATE: Hurricane Michael happened, trying to recover all my file pertaining to this story. Hopefully will have an update by New Years.





	1. Sihobeon 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sihobeon a version of Siobhan. Pronounced like "shi-VAWN". Thus why people call her Von.

Sihobeon doesn’t remember her childhood on Balmorra. She only remembered her last day on the planet. Her father had angered the wrong Imperial and her entire family had to flee. Her father planned on going to Rendili, he had a cousin there. They never made it.

Mandalorians captured their transport ship. A random pirate captain also boarded the ship, took one look at Sihobeon, five years old, tiny, large green eyes made larger by how pale her skin was, freckles across her nose and chin, long dark brown hair, and decided that she was the exact kind of slave a Sith on Dromund Kaas needed. Sihobeon was pried away from her mother and father by the pirate himself. She watched over the man’s shoulder, unflinchingly, dry eyes as the Mandalorians killed her entire family.  
Sihobeon remembers being treated fairly by the pirate captain. She remembered he gave her a stuffed kath hound, tucked her into bed and promised her that her life with the Sith wouldn’t be so bad. The Sith he was selling her to was a nice older lady, more into keeping antiques safe than hurting people. That the old Sith enjoyed pretty things and that Sihobeon was a pretty thing. Sihobeon remembered the pirate’s Republic accent, his voice pleasantly raspy, his kind brown eyes that sparkled when he tucked her in at night. His anger at the Mandalorians he was traveling with when they tried to brand her a slave with the other passengers.

“She won’t sell if she’s branded!” He had his wrist wrapped around a Mandalorian’s arm, staying the brand. “Lord Teaw will not buy a marred slave! She likes them pretty and in original condition.”

“Really?” The Mandalorian leader’s voice wasn’t as pleasant. It frightened Sihobeon. “And how much will this Lord Teaw pay for that slip of a girl?”

“Six million credits.” The pirate ignored the whistles of disbelief. “She likes them young. They train better the younger they are.”

“Fine,” the Mandalorian leader coughed out. “But you keep an eye on her. I can’t guarantee she’ll be safe if you aren’t with her.”

The pirate didn’t say anything; he scooped up Sihobeon and carried her back to his room. He sat her on the bed and gave her the stuffed kath hound back.

Sihobeon pressed her little face into the stuffed kath hound, and tried unsuccessfully to stop her sobs.

“Hey,” the pirate pulled the stuffed animal away and scooped her up in his arms again, placing her on his lap, rubbing her back while she cried all over his shirt. “It’s ok, doll. I’m not going to let them hurt you.” 

Sihobeon remembered how he kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair making soothing noises.

“What’s your name, doll? Huh?” He asked, tilting her face up. “You gotta have a name.”

“Sihobeon.” Sihobeon was proud of herself for her voice not trembling.

“Sihobeon, that’s a pretty name for a little doll like you.” He smiled, his eyes sparkling, the corner crinkling in good humor. “I’m Nico. And I won’t let anything happen to you, alright doll?”

Sihobeon nodded.

“Good.” Nico hugged her. Sihobeon remembered how he smelt of blaster oil. “Now, Sihobeon, let’s talk about what’s going to happen with you get to Dromund Kaas.”


	2. Sihobeon 2

Dromund Kaas was vastly different from Balmorra. It was constant lighting storm. Sihobeon remembers thinking that the earth and the sky were fighting with each other.

Nico carried her from the spaceport, he never put her down, wrapped up in his coat, kath hound clutched close to her chest, his big hat protecting her from the rain. He didn’t let Sihobeon go even when they entered a private shuttle that was waiting for them outside the spaceport.

The shuttle was huge, painted vibrant green with plush yellow carpeting inside and soft black dyed leather seats.

Sihobeon wasn’t frightened of the storm or of their destination but Nico rubbed her back and made calming noises anyway. Maybe he thought Sihobeon was nervous, maybe he was. Sihobeon didn’t know.

Nico had prepared her as best he could for Lord Teaw. So when the private shuttle touched down on the matching private shuttle pad outside a massive, sprawling castle three hours outside of Kaas City, Sihobeon was only mildly shocked to see the red skinned Sith Pureblood waiting in the rain.

Lord Teaw was a beautiful woman with her dusky red skin, yellow eyes, gold facial jewelry, and black hair piled high on her head. She wore deep purple robes that had an even deeper vee that went down to her waist. Sihobeon saw every ridge that made up Lord Teaw’s chest. Lord Teaw was short and willowy. Her black and gold handled lightsabers hung on her belt, as if she was expecting trouble.

“I see you brought the child.” Her voice was melodic and smooth, her eyes soft and caring as she held out her arms for Sihobeon.

“I think it’d be better if we went inside.” Nico held Sihobeon tighter against his chest and nodded towards the open door.

“Of course.” Lord Teaw demurred and proceeded to enter her home.

Nico sat on a plush black couch, placing Sihobeon gently on the couch beside him. “This is Sihobeon.”

“Hello, Sihobeon.” Lord Teaw smiled. The Sith’s smile reached her eyes. Sihobeon liked her in that instant.

“Hello.” Sihobeon spoke around the kath hound toy in her mouth.

“Would you like a cup of hot chocolate?” Lord Teaw’s eyes crinkled when she smiled, just like Nico’s.

“Yes, please.” Sihobeon scooted closer to the coffee table as Lord Teaw handed the child a cup of hot chocolate.

“Have you explained to her what she is to do?” Lord Teaw asked, a worried expression her face as she watched Sihobeon sip the hot chocolate.

“Yes.” Nico turned to look at Sihobeon only to catch the child’s gaze, he flashed her a reassuring smile.

“Does she understand?” Lord Teaw chewed her bottom lip but smiled hesitantly when Sihobeon switched her gaze from Nico to the Pureblood.

“As much as a five year can.” Nico hoped this crazy plan worked. He was doing this as a favor to Satele. The Jedi Council needed somebody that couldn’t be traced to be a spy for the Republic in the Empire.

“Sihobeon,” Lord Teaw slide off her chair and knelt in front of Sihobeon. “Do you understand what Nico is asking you to do?”

“He’s asking me to send information from you to some lady named Satele Shan.” Sihobeon finished her hot chocolate. “It’s very dangerous and I have to learn to keep myself a secret. May I have more hot chocolate?”

“Yes, of course you can, love.” Lord Teaw poured more hot chocolate into Sihobeon’s cup. 

Lord Teaw watched Sihobeon with a sad frown on her face.

“I’m really good at keeping myself secret.” Sihobeon said as she finished her second cup of hot chocolate. “I used to keep myself secret for daddy for the Resistance.” Sihobeon had to sound out the word as she eyed the pot of hot chocolate. She wanted another cup but she knew having a third would be being greedy and daddy had told her greedy people always got in trouble.

“You helped the Resistance?” Nico exchanged a startled look with Lord Teaw. “What planet are you from, doll?” Nico fluffed Sihobeon’s hair.

“Balmorra.” Sihobeon hugged the stuffed kath hound close to her chest. “Daddy used me because I was the smallest and the best at the silence game.” Sihobeon puffed her chest out in five year old pride.

“The silence game?” Lord Teaw asked gently.

“It’s where you have to sneak into someplace you’re not supposed to be and be as silent as you can while listening to everything and trying to remember what you heard.” Sihobeon looked from Lord Teaw to Nico. “Nico and me played it on the way here.” Sihobeon shrugged.

“And you were the best?” Lord Teaw placed a supportive hand on Sihobeon’s knee.

“Yep,” Sihobeon nodded as she started playing with the stuffed kath hound. “We only had to leave because this mean Moff found daddy with a bunch of stolen bombs. They found out that me and daddy played the Silence Game.”

“Sihobeon,” Lord Teaw tilted Sihobeon’s face up, so that she and Sihobeon were looking eye to eye, “how would you like to learn to be the master of the Silence Game?”

“You know about the Silence Game?” Sihobeon’s face screwed up in confusion.

“I’m the inventor of the Silence Game.” Lord Teaw smiled as Sihobeon’s eyes widened. “And I want to teach you how to become the master of the Silence Game but only if you want.”

“I want to be the master of the Silence Game.” Sihobeon said in childish determination. “If Daddy was better at it then he wouldn’t have been caught.”

“Then welcome to your new home, Sihobeon.” Lord Teaw’s smile lit her face up.

Sihobeon smiled back. “Your smoke is really pretty when you smile. It’s similar to Nico’s but yours is brighter.”

“My smoke?” Lord Teaw looked at Nico, Nico shrugged, he had no idea either.

“Yeah,” Sihobeon reach out and touched the air next to Lord Teaw’s head. “Your smoke, it’s a pretty pink.”

Lord Teaw exchanged a meaningful look with Nico, her smile stilted on her face. “Sihobeon, would you like another cup of hot chocolate?”

“I don’t want to be greedy.” Sihobeon shook her head.

“It’s alright to be greedy when it comes to hot chocolate.” Lord Teaw patted Sihobeon’s head.

After pouring the last of the hot chocolate into the child’s cup, Lord Teaw excused herself to the kitchen to put the pot up, motioning for Nico to follow.

Nico promised Sihobeon that he’d be right back and followed the Sith Lord into her over large kitchen.

“What is it? You look worried?” Nico whispered, encircling Lord Teaw’s elbow with his hand.

“You didn’t tell me she can see auras.” Lord Teaw hissed.

“I didn’t know.” Nico brought his hands up in placating gesture. “What does it matter anyway?”

“What does it matter?” Lord Teaw crossed to the sink and put the empty pot in the sink. Her hands clutching the edge of the sink. “It matters because if she turns out to be Force Sensitive then I might have to send her to the Academy.”

“But she’d be a slave. The Sith don’t train slaves.” Nico felt his heart pick up pace.

“They were talking about changing the law to allow slaves to train. I’m not certain when it’ll happen if ever, but if it does I will no longer be able to use her.” Lord Teaw looked over her shoulder at Nico. “If that day comes then I need a guarantee that she’d be able to flee to the Republic.”

“You’ll have it. Satelle won’t allow harm to come to an innocent.” Nico crossed the kitchen and placed his hands on Lord Teaw’s shoulders, he felt them trembling.

Lord Teaw stuffed a fist in her mouth, letting herself silently rail at the implications of the future. “I’ll have to train her just in case.”

“I’ll let Satelle know.” Nico’s thumbs rubbed Lord Teaw’s bare shoulders.

Lord Teaw and Nico stood that way for several minutes. Lord Teaw leaning against the counter, hand stuffed in her mouth while the other white knuckled the sink edge, Nico’s hands on her shoulders, the warmth of his body seeping into her bones.

“Are you able to stay a few days with her to make the transition easier?” She finally asked.

“Yeah, the Mandalorians I road with are gearing up for the Great Hunt.” Nico dropped his hands and took a step back.

“Good, it’ll be better for her.” Lord Teaw stepped away from the sink; the tears dry on her face.

“I agree.” Nico said.

Lord Teaw lead Nico back to the living room, Sihobeon was curled up on the couch, fast asleep.

Lord Teaw tucked a strand of hair behind Sihobeon’s ear.

“She is perfect.” Lord Teaw whispered.

“I knew you’d like her.” Nico smiled.

Both adults watched the child sleep soundly with a tinge of sadness in their eyes. Sihobeon wouldn’t get much of a childhood. She was going to be trained to be the perfect spy.


	3. Sihobeon 3

Lord Teaw had taught Sihobeon the necessary evil of a good disguise. Lord Teaw was popular among her fellow Sith Lords. While she was never on the Dark Council, Lord Teaw was in charge of the biggest library, museum, and art gallery that displayed Sith culture. Lord Teaw was fawned over and courted so many other Lords could ask to see her collection or get her to translate one of their many tablets or donate money to the Imperial Reclamation Service.

Lord Teaw was always invited to the best parties and went to the most exotic places; Always accompanied by her most faithful slave, a blind Miraluka girl by the name of Siobhan.

Sihobeon hated wearing the eye coverings, she understood the name change. Siobhan was close enough to her real name that she would still answer. And she hated the whispers of a law change, a change that would make it to wear Force Sensitive slaves had to attend the Sith Academy.

Sihobeon loathed that rumor. Siobhan was a Miraluka, a race that saw everything through the Force so if the rumors of slave attending the Academy ever came true, Siobhan would have to die.

Sihobeon was sixteen now. An adult, and grown into a beautiful young woman. Her dark brown hair was longer, shinier, soft, it fell in cascading waves around her shoulders. Her green eyes sparkled with mischief when they weren’t covered by her necessary eye coverings. Her nose still dotted with freckles, her skin still pale. She was taller but she would never be tall. Capping in at five feet even, her slim her slim build and height made her appear younger than she was. Another reason she pretended to play Miraluka whenever she and Lord Teaw were at the many society parties, weekends, soirees. Miralukas were naturally smaller and younger looking than other alien species, Lord Teaw had said that since Sihobeon looked so young and she pretended to be Miraluka, Sihobeon could claim to be years older than what she actually as. Another layer added to her cover.

Sihobeon had the afternoon off since the Sith Lords were to attend a musical. Siobhan had been given the freedom to wander around the estate, look at the gardens. Sihobeon knew that she was being told to wander the woods to meet Lord Teaw’s Jedi contact.

“Aren’t you afraid your slave will run away, Lord Teaw?” An irritating male voice spoke up as Lord Teaw finished giving coded instructions to her Miraluka slave.

“No,” Lord Teaw cocked an eyebrow at the other Sith Lord’s impertinence. “She has this collar, she can’t take off and it tracks her every moment. Plus, you would never flee from me would you dear?” Lord Teaw stroked Siobhan’s face. Sihobeon shuddered.

“No, my lord.” Sihobeon/Siobhan said.

“Now go, try and find me something interesting to bring back this time.” Lord Teaw snapped before she turned, dismissing her slave.

Sihobeon/Siobhan bowed and left the room.

#

Sihobeon never took her eye covering off when she was off Lord Teaw’s estates, one could never be too sure which Sith Lord had spies and which didn’t.

Sihobeon trudged through the woods on the Sith Lord’s Alderaanian estate. Alderaan was pretty in a mountainous way. The eye coverings were deceptive; Sihobeon could see look through them but all anybody else saw was fabric.

Sihobeon checked her datapad; she was close to the rendezvous spot.

Sihobeon slowed as she neared the coordinates. It was never a good idea for somebody dressed in Sith clothing to suddenly appear.

Sihobeon cocked her head and listened, the activity at the coordinates sounded like more than one person. Sihobeon chose to climb a small rock face. She laid flat against the top of the rock and looked down. Instead of a camp of one person, it was a camp of an entire unit. Sihobeon scrunched her face into confusion. Lord Teaw had not told Sihobeon that she would be meeting with an entire camp.

Sihobeon looked at her chrono, she was early. Sihobeon decided to study the camp of Republic soldiers, because it clearly was a camp filled with Republic soldiers.

#

Aric came back from his visit to the bushes to relieve himself and snorted. At least the camp was finalized. He looked around for his CO. Commander Vorne was talking to Torve; Vorne nodded as he noticed Aric looking at him and motioned the Cathar over.

“We are still waiting on our contact.” Commander Vorne was saying as Aric walked over. “We are to hold this position until we get the information we need for our target.”

“Is our contact late, sir?” Aric asked after Vorne finished.

“Not as of yet. He has another thirty minutes.” Vorne’s face quirked in a way that told Aric that his CO didn’t believe the contact would show up.

Aric grunted and walked away. He was used to Vorne by now, despite the fact that Vorne would be retiring and leaving the Deadeyes in Aric’s hand after this mission. Aric wasn’t sure how he, a twenty four year old, would handle being in charge of the unit. He was just a sergeant. Aric snorted and found a flat rock to sit on while he chewed his ration bar. Vorne was nervous. Vorne had sentries positioned all around the camp. If the contact was anywhere near, Vorne would have heard about it by now.

#

Sihobeon watched with fascination as the most gorgeous Cathar she had ever seen sat below her and began eating. Sihobeon had never seen such an attractive Cathar before. She’d never seen one that gray either. To be fair, a part of Sihobeon’s mind said, most of the Cathar you have seen could be gorgeous if they weren’t gladiators or used as sex slaves. Sihobeon nodded as she agreed with her own reasoning.

Sihobeon watched as the Cathar finished his rations bar and walked over to speak to what Sihobeon assumed was the CO.

Sihobeon had watched the camp for an hour now. She had discovered that this camp of soldiers was made up entirely of snipers. Sihobeon wasn’t aware that entire units could be made up of one type of specialty but Sihobeon didn’t know anything about the Republic except that she was a spy for them. Well, Lord Teaw was a spy, Sihobeon was just her courier.

Sihobeon pushed herself off the rock; it was time to make contact.

#

Aric didn’t know what alerted him to the presence behind him only that suddenly Aric felt he needed to turn and look at the path he had just looked at. The second time Aric looked at the recently empty path there was a figure standing in it.

Aric scrambled for his rifle, alerting the rest of the Deadeyes to the new person’s shocking arrival. Aric saw that the figure appeared to be a twelve fourteen year old female Miraluka, but Aric knew that Miralukas were always older than they looked.

“Morning and evening maids heard the goblins cry*.” The female figure said as she approached the camp.

As one, all the soldiers lowered their rifles but didn’t put them down.

“You’re our contact?” Vorne asked as the female entered the camp proper. “I was told our contact would be a Lord Marx.”

“I speak for Lord Marx.” Sihobeon nodded to reassure the nervous soldiers. Meeting new people was frightening. “It is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world**.” Sihobeon said the second code phrase and watched as the Commander’s eyes widened.

Sihobeon and the Commander exchanged nods. Only the Commander and the contact knew the second coded phrase. Nobody would be able to get the second coded phrase even through torture. It was ingrained in the subconscious, to be forgotten until needed.

“Come on in.” Commander Vorne opened his tent and motioned for the girl to precede him.

Sihobeon smiled and entered the tent. Vorne motioned for Aric to enter as well.

#

Sihobeon enjoyed working Aric Jorgan. He was competent. Sihobeon was unsure how her future missions with the Deadeyes would work out after the first assassination mission on Alderaan but apparently, Sihobeon and Aric Jorgan worked well together.

It wasn’t until the third time Sihobeon had met with the Deadeyes that year that Sihobeon got around to ask how the Republic Military got involved in with an ongoing mission by the Jedi Council. It was then Sihobeon learned that the Jedi listened too much to the Republic. Sihobeon remembered feeling disappointment at that discovery. She thought the Jedi were independent of the government.

Sihobeon and Aric grew close. Sihobeon felt bad lying to Aric about her species and age –she had told the Cathar that she was twenty two. It was a necessary lie, all a part of her cover. Just in case the Deadeyes got captured and questioned. There was no Lord Marx with a Miraluka slave named Siobhan.

“Von,” Aric sat across from the Miraluka, studying her as she smiled at one of Torve’s stories.

“Yes, Aric?” Sihobeon turned her smiling face to the Cathar.

They had been working together for two years. The assassination was on Hoth this time.

Aric jerked his head to a secluded patch of ice, questions in his eyes. Sihobeon nodded and they walked together to the frozen boulder far enough away from the rest of the Deadeyes their conversation wouldn’t be heard but close enough to still be protected by the group.

“Anything else on those rumors?” Aric crossed his arms and wished he didn’t have to ask.

“Nothing concrete.” Sihobeon hugged herself, more to frighten away her fear then to protect herself from the cold. “But the rumors are getting more frequent.”

“How is training going?” Aric wanted to touch the Miralukan, he knew she was hugging herself not from the cold.

“I’m getting better at putting large groups of people asleep.” Sihobeon beamed up at Aric.

Aric reached out his hand to touch Sihobeon’s shoulder. “That’s good right?”

“It’d be better if I could turn invisible.” Sihobeon chewed on her bottom lip. “But that’s not my strength.”

Aric tried to rub Sihobeon’s arm through her coat but his glove and her coat sleeve wouldn’t let him. “I have something for you.”

“What?” Sihobeon turned her eager face to Aric’s.

“Come with me.” Aric walked to his tent. Aric got his own tent because he was the CO of the Deadeyes, despite him being a Sergeant. His men still respected him and followed his orders, that’s what mattered.

Torve saw his CO and Sihobeon head into Aric’s tent, Torve upped his stories, exaggerating even more to give his CO some privacy, stars knew the Cathar could use all the happy moments he could get.

#

Aric was furious. Sihobeon, her master, some damn Jedi, and a big wig at the SIS had commandeered his tent to have a discussion.

They were on Tatooine this time.

Aric had never meet Sihobeon’s master. He had just recently learned that her real name was Sihobeon and not Siobhan. Aric had been angry but he understood. He was just glad that Sihobeon had finally decided to tell him what her real name was after working with him for three years.

Aric was twenty seven now. Aric growled in his throat. This meeting was taking forever and he couldn’t hear what was being said despite his better hearing.

#

Sihobeon masked her anger. She was livid. She was nineteen. She was supposed to be done with being a spy. Lord Teaw had gotten assurances from the Jedi Order that if the Dark Council passed the law requiring even Force Sensitive slaves to be trained then Sihobeon would be sent to the Republic. But here was Grandmaster Satele and some SIS lackey telling her that that deal was no longer viable.

“Why can’t she go to the Republic?” Lord Teaw’s aura was dark, a maelstrom of anger and confusion.

“We need a spy at the Academy.” The SIS agent was saying. “Surely you can see the advantage of that.”

“She was promised. I was promised. You can’t change the deal this late in the game.” Lord Teaw barely contained her anger. “I have not trained her to be that deep undercover.”

“And that’s my fault how?” The SIS agent scoffed.

Lord Teaw brought up her lightsaber.

“Calm, please.” Satele’s voice broke through the tension.

Sihobeon did not like Grandmaster Satele at the best of times but at this moment Sihobeon hated the woman. Out of everybody in the tent, only Satele’s aura was calm. A Calm, ice blue, frigid and cold. Sihobeon thought it was amazing that anybody would be attracted to her let alone get her pregnant.

“I do not renege on the promise lightly, but it is imperative we get a spy into the Academy.” Satele held up her hand to stay Lord Teaw’s objections. “I’m sorry Jaihuma, but Sihobeon can’t get out just yet.”

“If she dies, Satele,” Lord Teaw started menacingly, “I will kill you. I will come to your academy, decimate everything you love and only when you watch the light leave both Malcom’s and Theron’s eyes as Tython burns around you will I grant you death.”

“You can’t just threaten the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order-,” The SIS Agent began.

Satele held up her hand. The Grandmaster studied Lord Teaw’s face, saw the resolve, believed that there was nothing that would stop the Sith Pureblood from following up on her threat.

“Understood.” Satele nodded before turning attention to Sihobeon. “We have not heard what you think, Sihobeon.”

Sihobeon schooled her features, hid her emotions so far deep inside herself that not even the Emperor himself would be able to find them and finally met Satele’s gaze. “I don’t want to go. But I see why I have to go. I will go only because it is the right thing to do not because I want to.”

“You understand your duty?” Satele asked, tilting her head to the side as she studied the young woman. A young woman only a year younger than Theron, younger than even some padawans at the Jedi Academy and Satele was asking her to risk her life by spying.

“I live to serve the Republic.” Sihobeon doubted anybody caught her sarcasm.

Satele nodded, the SIS Agent looked smug, Lord Teaw looked heartbroken.

“We’ll leave you to complete your mission. You’ll be given a new contact once you reach the academy.” Satele grabbed the SIS Agent’s elbow and forced him from the tent.

Lord Teaw walked over to Sihobeon and wrapped the young woman in a hug. “I’m so sorry, love.”

Sihobeon felt a tear slide down the side of her neck. “It’s alright; I know you did the best you could. I knew you had been arguing with them over this for five months.” Sihobeon pulled back and smiled bitterly at Lord Teaw’s surprise. “I’m finally a master of the Silence Game.”

“Oh, my baby girl.” Lord Teaw crushed Sihobeon to her chest. “You have surpassed all my hopes. And I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to give you a crash course if you’re to survive.”

“I know. It’s alright, mama.” Sihobeon hugged her adopted mother close. Sihobeon had never admitted out loud that Lord Teaw was like a mother to her, but now that the very real possibility of losing her reared its ugly head, Sihobeon finally said it out loud.

“I’ll see you back at home, my darling daughter.” Lord Teaw kissed Sihobeon tenderly on the forehead and left the tent.

Sihobeon let a rare tear slide down her face.

#

Aric watched as the Jedi, the SIS Agent, and Sihobeon’s master left the tent. Aric waited until their speeders were barely legible dots on the horizon before he entered his tent.

Aric at first wondered if he missed Sihobeon leaving. A sob came from the vicinity of his cot. Aric’s gaze zeroed in on the sound. Sihobeon was in the fetal position crying, hands covering her eyes.

Aric slowly approached the cot, kneeling down he hesitated touching her. Aric settled more comfortably on the tent floor, his boot getting tangled in a scrap of fabric. Aric lifted it to his face, discovering it was the eye coverings that Sihobeon always wore.

Aric looked at it, it didn’t make sense, why would Sihobeon take this off.

“I’m not Miraluka.” Sihobeon’s soft voice came from behind her fingers.

“You’re not?” Aric was unsure of where this conversation was going.

“No,” Sihobeon lowered her hands. Aric was greeted by green eyes glistening with tears. “I’m human. Being a Miraluka was a part of my cover.”

“Makes sense.” Aric said slowly. He wasn’t angry, not really, he understood. “Mind telling me what is actually wrong with you?” Aric knew Sihobeon was not crying because she had been lying about her species for three years.

“My assignment with the Deadeyes is over.” Sihobeon stated dejectedly, staring daggers at the roof of the tent.

“Yes, I was aware of that.” Aric felt a stab of pain. He would miss Sihobeon when she left.

“After this mission I’m being reassigned.” Sihobeon felt her skin crackling with the tale tell lighting that always accompanied powerful emotions no matter how much she tried to train herself out of it.

“To the Republic right?” At Sihobeon’s tone, Aric was now unsure if that was still the case.

“To the Sith Academy on Korriban.” Sihobeon’s gaze met Aric’s briefly before looking away again.

“But I thought you were promised to be reassigned to the Republic after this mission, what with the law passed that required even Force Sensitive slaves to be trained.” Aric did not like where this conversation was headed.

“The SIS need an agent in the Academy.” Sihobeon dripped bitterness with every word.

Aric felt his heart constrict. There was no way he could continue their friendship if she was at the Sith Academy.

“So I’m never going to get to see you again.” Aric was suddenly bereft.

“Sounds like it.” Sihobeon felt the lightening strike the closest tent pole. “They’re sending me to die, Aric.” Sihobeon whispered as she turned into a lighting coil.

“You are not going to die!” Aric grabbed Sihobeon’s shoulders, mindless of the lightening, and pulled her fiercely to his chest. “You are not going to die.”

“I wish I believed that.” Sihobeon said into Aric’s neck.

Aric hugged her tighter, breathing her scent. Slowly, the lightening engulfing Sihobeon changed.

“Aric?” Sihobeon leaned back to study the Cathar’s face.

Aric did the only thing he could think of, he kissed her. Aric crushed Sihobeon’s lips beneath his own. They had kissed many times over the last three years since becoming friends then lovers. This kiss was different. It was needy, desperate, filled with the knowledge that neither would see the other ever again despite promises to the contrary.

“Please,” Aric wasn’t sure what he was begging for. “Just please.”

“Of course.” Sihobeon answered, her hands already working on Aric’s shirt’s buttons. “Of course.”

Aric and Sihobeon kissed again. If they were going to say goodbye, they’d make it memorable.

#

Sihobeon made Lord Teaw promise her to send word to Aric if she died. Lord Teaw didn’t ask why but she did promise.

Sihobeon’s new contact was a man by the name of Balkar. Sihobeon liked Balkar, he had a pleasant face.

Sihobeon hugged her adopted mother one last time before boarding the shuttle that would take her to her new life as a Sith Acolyte.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * From "The Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti  
> ** From "Frankenstein" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley


	4. Sihobeon 4

Sihobeon tried to remain as invisible as possible while at the Sith Academy on Korriban. It didn’t always work. She was a former slave and she was not only one of the few human former slaves but she was also one of the only ones that had no scars or slave marks on her face. Her old slave master had been a librarian, an antiquarian, and a museum curator for all of Sith, both modern and ancient, society and held a firm belief that the slaves working the galleries and libraries had to be as beautiful as the artworks being displayed.

Sihobeon was pretty in an understated way. She was nineteen, older than most of the acolytes at the academy, with pale white skin, long dark brown hair, green eyes, freckles dotting her nose and cheeks, a slim build with an ample bosom, and only stood five feet tall. Sihobeon had an open face and an easy smile.

It was a miracle that she hadn’t been scarred out of jealously or cruelty when she arrived at the Academy but she had been handpicked as a favorite plaything by several of the more powerful overseers. Overseers that would not make the life of any jealous acolyte that marred Sihobeon’s face easy or pleasant. So Sihobeon was left relatively alone. Her face was unmarred, her hair uncut. Only her soul was battered.

Being signaled out by the overseers as a favorite toy was never a good thing. Sihobeon learned early to do what the overseers ordered her to do. What the overseers ordered was always tame compared to what the other acolytes ordered her to do if she wanted to be safe, if she wanted to keep her face, if she wanted to not be burned alive while sleeping one night. If she wanted to survive.

Sihobeon learned who liked teeth, who didn’t, who liked fingers stuck up their ass while one hand was around a cock or sliding into wet folds. Sihobeon learned it all and she survived.

She learned to guess moods, stop more powerful acolytes by offering herself to help stem the tide of their anger, how to distract overseers with a phrase, a cut of her eyes, a flick of her wrist in the right way. She began helping out her fellow former slaves and aliens, never openly, it was not in a former slave’s or alien’s best interest to ask for or accept help but covertly. Everything covertly.

Sihobeon developed another language to assure her fellow outsiders. A tilt of the head, a flick of the fingers, a roll of the eyes, secret words that only a former slave or alien would understand. Sihobeon never looked to see if she was being thanked, she never wanted to be thanked, she wanted to not be alone. Even though she never hung out with them openly, she was welcome in their presence when one of their rank died during the trials to mourn a fallen comrade. Sihobeon never learned any of their names, she never paid attention to their faces. She protected them, took the brunt of the harm whenever a Pureblood or legacy Sith entered the Academy, whenever an overzealous overseer needed a distraction.

Sihobeon learned, she listened, she watched, she survived.

#

“Slave!” Overseer Harkun’s voice rang out across the cafeteria.

Being at the Academy for two years, Sihobeon had grown used to Overseer Harkun coming into the cafeteria and shouting ‘slave’ randomly, his voice filled with contempt. Sihobeon felt a stab of pity at whoever the word was directed at.

Sihobeon glanced up from her book before quickly dropping her gaze back to look unseeingly at the words before her. Harkun was not screaming for her, his aura was a maelstrom of indecision which was never a good sign in an overseer.

Sihobeon darted her eyes to Harkun’s current victim before focusing on her book again. It was a Cathar, a tall black male with white markings on his face, he would’ve been a slave for the gladiatorial fights, Sihobeon guesses. Sihobeon darted her eyes to the scene again. The Cathar wasn’t the focus of Harkun’s intent, a small female Togruta was. Sihobeon tensed up. The Togruta was terrified.

Realization hit Sihobeon like a rancor. This was the acolyte that Overseer Marus was talking about wanting to break. Sihobeon suppressed a shudder at the memory. A week ago, Sihobeon had been called to the Overseers’ dormitory for her usual weekend work and she remembered Marus’ face alight with evil glee at the prospect of breaking a Togruta.

Sihobeon can see why Overseer Marus wanted to break the poor girl. She was one of the younger former slaves; Sihobeon could tell the Togruta was a former slave. There was always a way that former slaves carried themselves. The Togruta was one of the rarer Togrutas, she had purple skin and grey lekku.

Sihobeon glanced back at the tableau, Harkun was motioning for the Togruta to come with him. The Togruta was hiding behind the Cathar. This was not going to end well. 

Sihobeon closed her book, stuffed it in her bag and appeared to walk aimlessly towards where the horror show was taking place.

“Overseer Harkun, please excuse me.” Sihobeon kept her eyes downcast as she stopped to the side of Harkun, only marginally stepping between Harkun and his victims.

“What do you want, poppet?” Harkun spit out the endearment out from habit making it sound every ounce an insult as slave would have been.

Sihobeon suppressed a grimace; his aura was beginning to coalesce. Not a good sign. He was coming to a decision; Sihobeon had to help him make the right one.

“Is Overseer Marus requiring somebody?” Sihobeon didn’t raise her eyes from Harkun’s feet.

“He won’t be needing you.” Harkun’s lip curled in disgust. “He has to go talk to the Dark Council later and he wants something that will help him focus.”

“Overseer Harkun,” Sihobeon licked her lip, cocked her hips in an inviting manner before continuing, “would it not be better for Overseer Marus to have somebody that knows what makes him happy?” Sihobeon lifted her head and looked at the cowering Togruta before sliding half lidded eyes back to Harkun.  “Wouldn’t it make more sense an experienced companion would help Overseer Marus focus better? He doesn’t like surprises.” Sihobeon licked her lips slowly, never breaking eye contact with Harkun.

Harkun’s breath quickened, his aura was changing colors.

“You’re right of course,” Harkun snorted as he tried to hide his arousal. “I don’t know why Marus thought some untrained slave would be an excellent focus. Come with me then.” Harkun stalked closer to Sihobeon, he stood a foot taller than her, he leaned in close, Sihobeon could smell garlic on his breath. “But after he is done with you, you’re mine for this interruption.”

“Yes, Overseer.” Sihobeon curtsied, allowing Harkun to gaze down her low cut robe.

Harkun reached his hand out and fondled one of Sihobeon’s breasts before clearing his throat in disgust and walking away.

“Marus’ chambers in five minutes, slave.” Harkun marched from the cafeteria.

Sihobeon straightened from her curtsy, she turned her head in the direction of the Togruta and the Cathar, accidentally meeting the quizzical blue gaze of the Cathar. Sihobeon inclined her head imperceptibly before sweeping out of the cafeteria.

Making her way to Overseer Marus’ chambers, Sihobeon hoped she hadn’t just made the biggest mistake since she’d been at the Academy for the past two years.


	5. Sihobeon 5

Sihobeon lay on her stomach, her back bare, a shimmersilk sheet covering her legs and ass, Harkun’s hands running up and down on her spine. Sihobeon closed her eyes and savored the feeling of the electricity flowing from Harkun’s finger tips into her spinal cord. Harkun was feeling generous today. Sihobeon decided to treasure the random moment of kindness.

Brushing her long hair to the side, Harkun leaned down and gently bit Sihobeon’s shoulder before kissing the sting away. Harkun was in a very good mood.

Sihobeon sighed, she knew the reason Harkun was in a good mood, he had killed another disobedient acolyte earlier. Sihobeon was lucky she was there to prevent Harkun from murdering another acolyte.

“Poppet,” Harkun crooned as he ran a firm finger down Sihobeon’s exposed spine, “I invited a guest over. You are to entertain him as you would me. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Overseer.” Sihobeon was thankful it was a ‘him’ this time.

Too many times past had Harkun summoned another female only to watch as Sihobeon was humiliated over and over again while Harkun got his rocks off. At least, if the third party was another male, Harkun would be more apt to leave the pair in private. Sihobeon did wonder who it was though. She had not seen Harkun making assignation plans with any of the other overseers; it must be another acolyte.

Sihobeon was weary every time another acolyte became involved in Harkun’s game.

“You’re going to be a good girl and please him for me aren’t you, poppet?” Harkun’s fingers began digging into Sihobeon’s back, the lighting going from mildly pleasant to tingling. Not yet painful on either counts.

“Yes, Overseer.” Sihobeon waited for the pain. Harkun always enjoyed it more when Sihobeon was in pain.

Harkun’s hand crept into Sihobeon’s tresses, fisted it, yanked her head back, exposing her neck. “Who’s a good girl?” Harkun whispered in Sihobeon’s ear as his free hand trailed down her back to swipe the sheet away, continuing down before he shoved two fingers into her.

“I am, Overseer.” Sihobeon gasped as Harkun pulled her head back further cutting off her breathing.

“Whose good girl are you?” Harkun nipped Sihobeon’s ear. It hurt, Sihobeon cried out.

“I’m yours, Overseer.” Sihobeon panted as Harkun’s fingers finally began moving in and out of her.

#

Sihobeon stood in Harkun’s refresher. She would have a new bruise on her neck in the morning, it was already forming. Sihobeon was thankful that the Academy store still sold clothes that covered the neck but revealed cleavage. Sihobeon did not want to advertise how many Overseers were chokers. It was never a good idea to advertise possible weaknesses in somebody that controlled whether or not you died.

Sihobeon wore high collars and kept her hair long and loose to cover the tooth marks, the bruises shaped like fists. Long sleeves to hide the burns caused by lightning. Long, flowing skirts to hide the nail marks on her legs. But skirts that were also loose, easier to push up for quickies in the hallways.

She had been told early on in her tenure at the Academy by one of her earlier Overseers to always wear her hair loose, easier to fist and grip and pull for the Overseers’ pleasure. Overseers were fascinated by Sihobeon’s hair, they took great pride in using it as a handle to better control her head.

Sihobeon hated her hair. She hated how it was obsessed with by the other acolytes. She hated how the Overseers used it when they used her. She hated that it was often complimented while she had a cock in her mouth. Told how soft it was as it was fisted in a hand, how it framed her face perfectly while an Overseer looked down on her, how it cascaded in molted waves as her head bobbed up and down as the Overseer lay in bed or sat in a chair.

Sihobeon promised herself that if she survived, if she lived to become an actual apprentice, the minute she became free of the endless Overseers she would cut her hair. She would make it so short that nobody would be able to use it against her ever again.

Sihobeon would never shave her head but it would be a close thing. Sihobeon had promised her mother to never shave her head. Her mother loved her hair, said it added to Sihobeon’s beauty. Aric had disliked Sihobeon’s long hair. Sihobeon and Aric had many a mock argument over the length of her hair. Aric was always accidentally leaning on it, laying on it, sitting on it in one hilarious circumstance. Sihobeon wished she had listened to Aric and cut her hair shorter before she came to the Academy.

Sihobeon heard the outer door open, heard male voices talking indistinctly.

“Poppet.” Harkun knocked on the refresher door. “My guest is here. Come out to play.”

Sihobeon straightened the shirt Harkun insisted she wear, steeled herself, and walked out of the refresher.

Sihobeon curtsied, keeping her gaze down, her face angled so that the guest would notice how pretty she was, she saw only feet.

“Overseer, you must be joking.”

Sihobeon knew that voice. It belonged to Ffon, another acolyte in her class.

“I’m not joking, Ffon.” Harkun scoffed. “She will do everything you ask her to. Anything goes as long as you don’t permanently scar her.”

“Why not?” Ffon asked.

“Higher ups want to keep her pretty.” Harkun snorted. That snort revealing how stupid he thought that was.

And yet you still follow it, Sihobeon thought.

“She won’t try anything will she?” Ffon sounded leery of using Sihobeon.

“She wouldn’t dare.” Harkun was very close to Sihobeon now. Sihobeon felt Harkun’s hand as he swept some her hair aside, stroking down her throat. “She wouldn’t dare. She’s properly broken.” Harkun kissed Sihobeon’s neck. “Aren’t you, poppet?”

“Yes, Overseer.”

“See?” Harkun patted Sihobeon on the head. “You’ll be fine. Nothing to the face. Or chest area. Overseer Cestus is fond of those. Understood?”

“Yes, Overseer.” Ffon sounded eager.

“Be good for me, poppet.” Harkun whispered menacingly in Sihobeon’s ear before he left her alone with Ffon.

Sihobeon became acutely aware of Ffon as the silence stretched out. He was studying her, Sihobeon could tell from his aura as she studiously continued staring at his feet. He had decided to wear sandals, his toes were the second set of Sith Pureblood toes she had ever seen.

Ffon crossed the room, stopped a foot away from her. He reached out a hand to run through her hair.

“So you’re the Overseers’ plaything?” Ffon spoke more to himself than to Sihobeon. “They weren’t exaggerating about your hair. It is like shimmersilk.”

Sihobeon swore she would shave her head if Ffon made another comment about her hair. How she loathed her hair.

“How long have you and Harkun been a thing?” Ffon asked, slowly beginning to circle her, hand trailing along her shoulders.

“Since about a six months after I came to the Academy.” Sihobeon felt Ffon’s aura spike. He was annoyed by her answer.

“So for virtually three years you have been his personal plaything?” Ffon’s hand ran over her hair.

“Not just his.” Sihobeon respectfully corrected him.

“Yes, that’s true. Not just his.” Ffon laughed meanly. “And now you’re to be mine as well.”

Sihobeon didn’t answer. Ffon completed his circle, coming back to stand right in front of Sihobeon.

“Look at me.” Ffon used two fingers to tilt Sihobeon’s face up, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Red eyes bore into green. Ffon’s red eyes held more questions and only a slight bit of maniacal glee. Sihobeon’s green eyes held nothing.

“Do you want this?” Ffon asked suddenly.

Sihobeon didn’t understand the question. Ffon’s aura spiked differently. “It does not matter what I want.” Sihobeon answered honestly.

“True.” Ffon dropped his hand from her chin and led Sihobeon over to one of the many couches. “Sit.” Ffon pointed at the couch.

Sihobeon sat.

“Take the shirt off.” Ffon reached for his pants. Undoing his belt buckle and the clasps that held his pants closed, he brought out his semi-erect cock.

Ffon’s free hand gripped Sihobeon’s chin, forcing her mouth open, guiding her now open mouth to the tip of his cock.

Sihobeon learned that Ffon was a two fists, he used both his hands to control her head. Sihobeon watched as Ffon’s aura spiked between different types of elation: elation of having his orders obeyed immediately with excellent results and having so much power over someone he viewed as beneath him.

#

Sihobeon was bent over the arm of the couch as Ffon pumped into her from behind, he was insatiable. Ffon enjoyed the noises he elicited from Sihobeon. He was much different than any other Sith Sihobeon have slept with. He didn’t enjoy inflicting pain while they were fucking. While nothing about Ffon could be described as giving, before he had entered her, he had made sure Sihobeon was as wet and wanting as he was after the blowjob.

His reasoning was the ridges prevented easy insertion if the receiver wasn’t adequately wet. Sihobeon was unsure of how much that was true but she wasn’t about to complain. Complaining was never wise during these types of encounters.

#

Sihobeon lay spent and used on the refresher floor, the last place Ffon had taken her.

“I see why Harkun keeps you around now.” Ffon said from behind her, running a clawed hand over her exposed ass. Slapping it, hard enough to leave a hand print, yet another bruise for Sihobeon to account for, he stood up and buckled his pants. He had not been nude the entire time during the interlude. “I’ll let Harkun know I’m done with you for now.”

Sihobeon did not respond she stayed on the floor, listening as Ffon exited the room. Sihobeon wondered if Harkun would allow her to bathe before he required her to do something else.

“I hear good things about your performance.” Harkun’s snide voice sounded from the refresher doorway.

“Yes, Overseer.” Sihobeon couldn’t move. Hopefully Harkin was feeling benevolent after her performance.

“Would you like your reward now?” Harkun asked as he squatted down beside her, running a gentle hand along her spine. “Or are you too tired?”

“I will take whatever is provided to me, Overseer.” Sihobeon tried not to sigh in pleasure as Harkun’s hands began shooting benign lighting into her sore muscles.

Harkun chuckled, he knew all sorts of way to make Sihobeon’s body respond to his touch.

“Since you’ve done such a good job, how about we get you in the tub and you can have a nice relaxing soak.” Harkun lifted Sihobeon and placed her in his enormous tub.

#

Sihobeon watched through the curtain of her hair as Harkun massaged her foot. His whims to treat her well were only matched by his whims to suddenly hurt her. He had electrocuted her in the tub before. This time, this time was different though. He had never gotten in the tub with her before. The last time he started giving her a foot massage he had gotten bored halfway through and decided on find out how much pain she could take to her foot before she promised to fuck him for five hours straight before he stopped.

Harkun hummed as he worked all the knots from her feet and calves, walking up and down steps and running from crazed, possessed soldiers and former acolytes was not as relaxing as one might think.

Sihobeon knew this mood would not last. Soon enough his switch would flip and he’d go back to hurting her. It was what their relationship always boiled down to. He wanted her but he hated that he wanted her. He was disgusted by his wanting of her. Sihobeon was pretty but she was a former slave. A Sith should never want somebody so beneath him.

It had taken Harkun six months to approach her and when he did, he only did it on behest of another overseer. Harkun had enjoyed watching the other overseer using Sihobeon, Harkun had been so overcome with jealousy that he took Sihobeon in the hallway as he escorted her back to the dorms.

Since then, their relationship was one of strife. Harkun was her only constant in the entire Academy. Other overseers and fellow acolytes would tire of her, not Harkun. He kept coming back. Both intrigued by his need to have her and disgusted in the same breath.

Due to his warring emotions about the matter, he would be kind, doting one second, harsh, cruel the next. Sihobeon learned never to trust his kind moods; they always gave way to pain.

This mood was lasting longer than usual though.

Harkun finished rubbing the kinks out of Sihobeon’s foot and placed it gently back in the water, he trailed a hand up the inside of her thigh.

“Would you like your reward now?” Harkun asked, sliding closer in the tub, hand sliding higher.

“I will take whatever is provided to me, Overseer.” Sihobeon tried not to flinch as Harkun’s finger found the bundle of nerves that lay nestled between her legs.

“You will, will you?” Harkun asked, his breath causing gooseflesh to pop up on Sihobeon’s body as his finger skillfully rubbed the bundle of nerves.

“Yes, Overseer.” Sihobeon tried and failed to keep the trembled from her voice.

“You’ve been a very good girl, poppet.” Harkun whispered across Sihobeon’s chest.

#

Ffon treated her differently the next time he and Sihobeon met. His voice held not only contempt over her former status but also at the knowledge of her current status as well. Ffon and Harkun exchanged a secretive mean smile.

Sihobeon saw the auras around her change as each of her classmates began sorting their own opinions of why Harkun and Ffon would be exchanging a secretive smile that was filled with something new. She watched as their auras changed when they collectively realized it had to do with her; a mixture of pity and revulsion but also gratefulness that the smile wasn’t about them.

Sihobeon walked through the Academy and saw as auras changed all around her as word got around about the smile between Harkun and Ffon. It had been a poorly kept secret for years that Sihobeon was Harkun’s favorite plaything. Now it was going to be another poorly kept secret that Harkun had shared his toy with his favorite student.

The legacy Sith and Sith Pureblood had auras that read mirth and revulsion as Sihobeon crossed their paths. The former slaves and non-legacy aliens showed pity and gratefulness. Two auras though, Sihobeon noticed as she trudged through the library showed thankfulness. Sihobeon quickly glanced up to see the owners of the auras. The Togruta and Cathar from a year ago. The Togruta mercifully kept her eyes focused on her own book. The Cathar and Sihobeon accidently locked eyes again. Sihobeon glanced back down; she didn’t want to answer the questions she saw in the Cathar’s eyes. She didn’t want to acknowledge the thankfulness in his gaze either. Sihobeon didn’t want to be thanked. Being thanked meant she’d have to concede her actions, have to accept what she had turned herself into.

Sihobeon hoped she would get her last trial soon.


	6. Sihobeon 6

Sihobeon ran a nervous hand over her shorn hair. She had cut it much shorter than her mother would like. Where once Sihobeon’s dark brown hair fell past her shoulders, there was now barely enough hair to cover her entire head. Sihobeon had picked a type of feathered mohawk she had seen some Republic Troopers sporting as she watched the live broadcasts of Imperial wins against the Republic on the fleet. The mohawk went from her widow’s peak to the crown of her head, it was wider than the type of mohawk Mandalorians favored. She also had two stripes of hair that went on either side of the mohawk that connected to the main body of the mohawk at the crown of her head. Her mother was going to hate it.

“ _Little Sith, I do not understand why we are visiting this museum. There will be no one to eat there. Only old dead things_.” Khem, Sihobeon eight foot tall navy blue and red Dashade grumbled down at her.

“We are visiting my former master.” Sihobeon didn’t explain how her former master, Lord Teaw was more like her adopted mother. Nor did she explain to her Dashade companion that Lord Teaw and her were spies for the Republic. Sihobeon wasn’t sure Khem could take the shock.

The poor Dashade was still in shock from a week ago after Sihobeon had freed him from his stasis and informed him that not only was his former master, Tulak Horde, dead but she then beat him in a trial by combat. Khem wouldn’t be able to take the idea of a Sith wanting to betray to Empire well. Even though the monster was bound to Sihobeon, she wasn’t too sure Khem couldn’t break that bond and devour her like he always threatened if he became upset enough.

“ _Why would Little Sith feel the need to visit her former holder of chains_?” Khem asked again.

He must’ve eaten somebody when I wasn’t looking, Sihobeon thought. Khem is only this talkative is he’s is a pleasant mood and he was only ever in a pleasant mood after he’d eaten.

“Because she sent me an email asking me to come visit her.” Sihobeon explained again for what felt like the hundredth time. “You don’t deny a Lord of the Sith if you’re just a lowly apprentice.” Sihobeon rubbed a hand over her hair again.

Khem grunted and fell silent. Lord Teaw had Sent a private shuttle but Khem couldn’t fit in the private shuttle, so the shuttle driver had had to contact Lord Teaw and ask permission to rent an open top leisure speeder to transport Sihobeon and hr rather large pet.

Khem had threatened to eat the driver after he heard the word ‘pet’. Sihobeon had restrained Khem only through the promise to take him hunting in the wilds outside Kaas City to calm him down.

“You are not allowed to eat her. Or her servants.” Sihobeon reiterated.

Khem grunted and went back to staring daggers at the driver. Sihobeon hoped the driver was rented and would disappear as soon as they reached Lord Teaw’s estate.

#

Lord Teaw’s estate was just as Sihobeon remembered it. Lord Teaw was just as she remembered her. The Sith Pureblood woman wore a soft yellow dress today, her gold piercings and necklaces glittered against her red skin, black hair still piled on top of her head.

“Welcome home, darling!” Lord Teaw engulfed Sihobeon in a warm hug. Looking over Sihobeon’s shoulder, she noticed Khem. “And you brought your Dashade.”

“He kept threatening to eat the hotel manager and desk receptionist if I left him. I believed him.” Sihobeon shrugged and breathed in the scent that was her mother; baby powder and some type of hot house flower. She was still shorter than Lord Teaw.

“You cut your hair.” Lord Teaw’s hand ran over Sihobeon’s shortened locks.

“I had to.” Sihobeon pulled back and reluctantly met Lord Teaw’s eyes.

“Khem, sweetie,” Lord Teaw pulled away and looked at Khem, “would you like to go hunting in my personal woods?”

Khem seemed surprised to be called ‘sweetie’ and didn’t answer.

“He would love to go hunting in your private woods.” Sihobeon looked at her Dashade.

“Take him there then meet me in the solarium.” Lord Teaw smiled benignly at the Dashade and walked away.

“Khem, you do have to answer when somebody asks you a question, y’know.” Sihobeon sighed and crossed her arms as she studied her monster.

“ _Little Sith should not be such good friends with other Sith. Leads to treachery_.” Khem crossed his arms.

Sihobeon scoffed and walked off towards the estate’s private woods, she felt Khem following her.

#

Sihobeon locked Khem in the private woods and made her way to the solarium. Entering the room, Sihobeon saw Jaihuma, Lord Teaw, sitting sedately in her favorite lime green chair, looking at the fountain and the fish that swam in it, the hot chocolate pot was placed on the miniature table, two cups accompanying.

Sihobeon crossed the room, folded herself on the floor and placed her head in her mother’s lap. “I missed you, mama.”

“I missed you too, daughter.” Jaihuma stroked the side of Sihobeon’s head. “Tell me why you had to cut your hair?”

“I did like you suggested and prostituted myself in exchange for safety. I did it not only for my own safety but other’s as well. And every time, they would remark on how pretty my hair was. How soft it felt wrapped round their hands, falling on their thighs and stomachs. And I just couldn’t stand to have it anymore.” Sihobeon buried her face in Jaihuma’s lap.

“I understand, my darling.” And Jaihuma did. “I would’ve shaved my head completely though.”

“I didn’t think I’d look good bald.” Sihobeon hiccupped a laugh.

“Hmmm,” Jaihuma lifted Sihobeon’s face, measuring, pursing her lips. “No, you wouldn’t look good bald. You’re head is too small. You need hair to make your head look normal.” Jaihuma tweaked Sihobeon’s nose to soften her words.

Sihobeon giggled, Jaihuma smiled.

“Would you like some hot chocolate?” Jaihuma indicated the waiting carafe and cups.

“I wanted some since before I sat down.” Sihobeon scrambled off the floor and sat in the chair opposite of Jaihuma.

“Why didn’t you pour yourself some?” Jaihuma poured two cups of hot chocolate.

“Because I had you and I didn’t want to appear greedy.” Sihobeon sighed in pleasure as she breathed in the scent of hot chocolate.

“One is never greedy when it comes to family or hot chocolate.” Jaihuma smiled over her cup.

“So you have told me on many an occasion.” Sihobeon laughed and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

Mother and daughter sat in companionable silence as they drank their hot chocolate and watched the fish capering about in the fountain.

“So, how did you get a Dashade?” Jaihuma asked after a few minutes.

“It was my last trail.” Sihobeon took another sip of her hot chocolate. “I had to gather rods, place them around this room, electrify them, defeat a bunch of ancient droids, free him from his stasis chamber, then defeat him in combat in order to bind him so I could get a map piece.”

“Getting this map piece was your final trial?” Jaihuma asked as she watched Sihobeon pour herself another cup of hot chocolate.

“Yes.” Sihobeon picked up a cookie on the tray that sat beside the carafe of hot chocolate; she had just noticed their existence. “My Overseer was none too happy that I was the one that got the map piece as he was hoping a Ffon Althe would become Lord Zash’s apprentice.”

Jaihuma heard a myriad of memories; none of them pleasant, as she listened to her daughter speak. “Ffon was a Pureblood?”

“Yes.” Sihobeon bite into the cookie she had grabbed, it was bacon and chocolate chip. Her favorite drink and her favorite cookie, this was the best homecoming.

“How did your Overseer and this Ffon react when you came in with the map?” Jaihuma smiled when she saw Sihobeon relax further eating her favorite cookie.

“They were not happy.” Sihobeon finished her cookie and picked up another. “The Overseer snatched the map from my hand and gave it to Ffon, told Ffon to present it to Lord Zash as his find.”

“That didn’t work or he would be her apprentice and not you.” Jaihuma waited for Sihobeon to sort through her feelings.

“Upon further questioning, Ffon admitted to Zash that he wasn’t the one that found the map piece.” Sihobeon dipped her cookie in her hot chocolate. “Zash killed Ffon, as a way to cow the Overseer.”

Jaihuma studied her daughter. Sihobeon’s aura had changed since she went to the Academy three years ago. Where once Sihobeon’s aura was a clear and bright lilac it was now lavender tinged with grey. The three years at the Academy had damaged her little girl.

“Zash left and told me to meet her in her office.” Sihobeon shrugged.

“And the Overseer?” Jaihuma asked, there was no judgment in her voice. She understood that sometimes, in order to keep up appearances, you had to kill someone.

“He started threatening me. I told him that he was a good teacher despite us never getting along.” Sihobeon took another cookie and poured herself another cup of hot chocolate.

“How did he take that?” Jaihuma’s voice held mirth, she could only imagine the face of the Overseer as her daughter thanked him for being a good teacher seconds after he threatened her life.

“He started stuttering. It was hilarious but I learned early on not to laugh at him.” A shadow passed over Sihobeon’s face. “He was talkative though.”

“So he’s the one you gleaned all the information from?” Jaihuma was glad the momentary cloud had passed.

“He liked having arm candy during the parties.” Sihobeon stood up. “The parties were very informative. I gleaned loads of information while on my knees.”

“Yes, a spy must work every angle to get the information needed.” Jaihuma watched as Sihobeon began pacing.

“I thought for sure I was caught once.” Sihobeon cut her eyes over to Jaihuma, eyes alight with mischief. “I was approached by an Inquisitor for a secret mission.”

“What was the mission?” Jaihuma put her cup down and watched as Sihobeon wandered about the room.

“I had to help a Jedi escape. The Sith had drugged him and implanted false information for him to feed to the Council.” Sihobeon shook her head as she laughed, finger gingerly touching a flower petal. “I of course told the Jedi he was drugged. I put a coded message in his bags just in case the drugs they pumped him full of made him forget.”

“What did the message say?” Jaihuma had not been contacted about any secret message sent from Sihobeon to the Jedi Council.

“Only that the information he passed on could be compromised.” Sihobeon shrugged a shoulder and looked back at Jaihuma. “Do I really look that much worse with this hair?”

“No, of course not, my darling.” Jaihuma held her arms open for another hug; Sihobeon crossed the room and allowed herself to be enveloped once more. “It suits you.” Jaihuma kissed the top of Sihobeon’s head. “How long do I get you?”

Sihobeon sank to the floor gain, once more resting her head on her mother’s lap. “You have me for two more days. Zash says it’s going to take a while for her to arrange for me proper accommodations. The hotel we were staying at, well, we got kicked out.” Sihobeon made a face.

“Why did you get kicked out?” Jaihuma asked as she stroked her daughter’ short hair.

“Khem ate one of the live decorative flutterplumes.” Sihobeon snickered.

Jaihuma threw her head back and roared in laughter. “Oh, no wonder you got kicked out. I have your old room ready for you. And Khem will be perfectly fine left to his own devices while here. I have no servants for him to eat.”

Sihobeon shot her mother a quizzical look.

“It’s easier having droids doing all the cleaning. My staff only comes in when the galleries are open. Without you, dear, I feel I have become a hermit in my old age.” Jaihuma tweaked Sihobeon’s nose again.

“I very much doubt that, mama.” Sihobeon smiled. She was happy. For the first time in three years, she was genuinely happy.


	7. Sihobeon 7

Sihobeon looked down at the stone tablet she was supposed to be grabbing. It was fascinating. Too bad she couldn’t study it in leisure at the moment. No matter, she put on protective gloves and bent to pick up the tablet.

 

She felt something behind her; she quickly ignited her lightsaber, turned around and stabbed the Sith Lord she just thought she killed.

 

“Khem, how quickly do you think you could eat that one?” She kicked the dead body with her boot.

 

Khem grumbled something and proceeded to rip off the guy’s leg.

 

Sihobeon cocked an eyebrow but didn’t comment. She bent to pick up the tablet again.

 

“Well, then, let’s go.” Sihobeon placed the tablet in the waterproof bag she brought with her to make sure there was no damage done to it. “Drinks?” She turned to look up at her eight foot tall Dashade.

 

“ _I don’t drink, Little Sith._ ” Khem grumbled before he began gnawing on the leg he held.

 

“I meant drinks for me.” Sihobeon rolled her eyes and placed the now tablet filled bag in Khem belt. “You of course just stand there and threaten to eat people that annoy me.” She stopped and held up a figure, a smirk on her face. “And if you’re good you may actually get to eat a few people.”

 

Khem chuckled, finished the leg and reached down to rip off an arm.

 

Sihobeon cocked her head to the side. “Khem, did you eat his boot?” She looked around; the only boot she saw was the one on the uneaten Sith Lord’s leg.

 

Khem shrugged and chuckled again as he began biting off fingers, gloves and all. Sihobeon shrugged, that was answer enough for her.

 

#

It was still raining days later as Sihobeon left her assigned set of rooms. Khem her ever present shadow. She had grown rather used to having an eight foot tall blue and red shadow at her back. It made possible enemies think twice about attacking her. The Dashade was quickly becoming her favorite person in the galaxy.

 

After retrieving the Trandosian tablet, she had spent the rest of the day trying to get into the Revanites. She had no idea who Revan was when she started the day, but now she felt like she was an expert.  

 

Now all she had to do was have an excuse to get into Lord Grathan’s estate. Which she knew would happen soon. Lord Grathan was powerful and had a lot of ancient artifacts, Sihobeon knew it was only a matter of time before her master, Lord Zash, would command her to invade the estate.

 

#

Sihobeon stood outside of a Lord Grathan’s estate. She wore a dark gray hooded cloak as the storm raged around her, the purple black lightning that was native to this planet crackling and occasionally illuminating her but she knew people wouldn’t see her; she was as invisible as she could be. She was waiting for Khem to give her the go-ahead. She had to admit that having a Shadow Assassin was wonderful. She would remain unseen no matter how much lightning cracked around her. She could sometimes hear the screams of Khem meals over the sound of the thunder and rain.

 

Sihobeon wondered if it was a good thing that she took perverse pleasure in hearing the screams of Khem’s victims. She could have put all the sentries to sleep but Khem had been complaining about his lack of food. The only real problem would have been the droids, but Sihobeon heard what sounded like metal being ripped apart as well as screams. Khem was nothing if not thorough.

 

Finally, Khem came to the entrance and motioned for Sihobeon to proceed. He didn’t even threaten to eat her, he must have fed well.

 

And as Sihobeon walked through the lifeless halls, she saw that Khem did indeed eat well.

 

“Please stay close, monster.” Sihobeon had developed the nickname for Khem, he laughed every time she used it so she figured the Dashade enjoyed it. “There are others here that I do not want eaten.” Sihobeon thought she sensed her friend Hywela running around on the estate.

 

Khem grunted, yet another sign that he was happy. Sihobeon shook her head. Would wonders never cease?

 

She stalked down the halls on the Grathan estate, marks of struggle –well, were mere humans struggled against Khem –clear on the walls and floors with blood splatters, puddles, and the occasional severed limb. Mangled droid bodies were also present.

 

Sihobeon pulled her lightsaber and stabbed a droid through the head; it wouldn’t do to be seen on any recording devices.

 

#

Sihobeon held the Mask of Revan and wondered what the fuss was about. Revan was powerful. Revan was the power. Revan was the one that walked both light and dark side. Not his Mask. Shaking her head, she placed it in yet another special bag she used for really old artifacts she didn’t want broken. Turning away from the dais, she saw there were three guards that came in to try and stop her theft but Khem had taken care of them.

 

She pulled a face. He hadn’t even tried to eat these.

 

“Are you full?” Sihobeon gestured to the dead bodies. “You are NOT bringing them back to our rooms.” Khem had tried to do that earlier in the week.

 

Khem pulled a face to match her’s and pointed at the biggest body.

 

“You can bring a part of him.” Sihobeon held up a two fingers. “Two body parts and enough to fit in the small fridge. But no more.” She never thought she’d be bargaining with an ancient Force assassin on how many body parts he could take home with him.

 

Khem crossed his arms and glared at Sihobeon. Sihobeon mirrored his body language. She was not about to have them kicked out of another set of rented rooms because Khem either didn’t want to or wouldn’t control his greed.

 

Khem sighed but he agreed. He bent down and tore off both arms, one full leg, and the other leg from the knee down. Khem began munching on the half leg as he watched Sihobeon pick her way delicately over the blood soaked floor. At some point she was going to have to learn if Force Push could create a path in puddle of blood.

 

 “Shall we wait to tell Zash we got her fancy toy or should we call her right now?” Sihobeon asked Khem as she finagled her way to stand at his side, the only part of the floor not covered in blood. It always amazed her how much people actually bled.

 

Khem shrugged but his face became thunderous, he was not a fan of Zash. Sihobeon couldn’t blame him. There was something about Zash that not only freaked her out but didn’t sit well. Zash’s aura was constantly shifting from color to color. And none of them were what Sihobeon considered good colors. Zash kept going from orange to red to green to pure black. And every time Zash spoke, her aura would spike. Sihobeon had learned long ago that a spiking aura was a dangerous aura.

 

But Sihobeon needed to play the game.

 

She beckoned for Khem to walk and eat, which he could do, she had seen him do it often enough.

 

#

Sihobeon looked at Darth Skotia. As a Darth went he wasn’t that frightening but then again, Sihobeon’s view was a bit skewed. The prettier the Sith the more dangerous they were in her opinion. And Darth Skotia was not pretty. He had replaced himself too much with machines. Maybe killing him would be a kindness?

 

“Tell me, slave, are you insane or do you have a death wish?” Skotia asked imperiously.

 

Sihobeon’s smile was slightly off, manic, savage. “If you think this is bad, you should meet my other personality.” She quipped. What did her smart mouth matter now? She didn’t have to pretend to be the whipping girl anymore; she didn’t have to be the docile slave.

 

Darth Skotia directed his Trandosian _servants_ —she raised an eyebrow that Skotia would bother keeping the pretense of hiring the duo.

 

“I believe this belongs to you.” Sihobeon held her hand out to Khem; the Dashade placed the tablet she had stolen weeks before in her hand. Sihobeon’s posture was one of bored helpfulness. Arm crossed under the one that held the tablet haphazardly over the stone floor, hip jutting out, putting more weight on one leg over the other, eyebrow cocked in insolence at Skotia.

 

The Trandosian _servants_ had the expected response. They dropped Skotia as a client and, despite Sihobeon’s suggestion otherwise, attacked Skotia. Skotia killed them.

 

Sihobeon started crackling with lightning. She struck Skotia with a lightning bolt as Khem rushed in, blade swinging widely. Pulling out the neutralizer she had gotten from the clever Dorotsech, Sihobeon short-circuited all of Skotia’s machinery. After that, beating him was no issue.

 

Looking at Skotia panting, clutching his side, as he slowly bled out, Sihobeon made a mental note to never imbue herself with cybernetic parts; he had only lost because the cybernetics had made him virtually impossible to kill, giving him a false sense of strength which had him believing he didn’t have to keep up with his fighting techniques. Well, Sihobeon proved him wrong.

 

Sihobeon cocked her head to the side and tried to decide if she should kill him or not. He tried to kill her. He sent assassins to kill her before she ever left Korriban.

 

“She will kill you. Just like she’s killed me.” Skotia was saying as Sihobeon realized it was too late to save him.

 

Oh, well. “If that day comes,” she said as she watched the now former Darth fall over, finally giving in to his wounds, “I’ll be ready for her.”

 

Sihobeon stayed just long enough to make sure Skotia was dead. She had to report to Lord Zash.

 

“Khem!” She hissed at her Dashade. “We cannot leave any evidence we were here.”

 

“ _But what about the lizard men? Nobody will miss them._ ” Khem pointed at the Trandosians.

 

He had a point. “I know nobody will care about them but unless you can eat them both right now people won’t believe they abandoned Skotia without taking the tablet with them.” Sihobeon pointed at the forgotten tablet.

 

Khem crossed his arms and thought about Sihobeon said. “ _May I take them with me for later?”_

 

Sihobeon’s eyes widened. Khem had never asked so nicely before. “You have a place to store them?” She looked at the bodies. Trandosians were rather large. Almost as large at Khem. One of the Trandosians couldn’t fit in their fridge, let alone two. Sihobeon chewed her bottom lip and looked at Khem.

 

“ _I can find a place to store them._ ” Khem said with grim glee.

 

Sihobeon did not want to know where. “Fine, but make it quick.” Sihobeon scooped up the tablet and stood leaning nervously against Skotia’s desk as she watched Khem dismember the Trandosians.

 

#

Sihobeon was convinced that she and Khem would be stopped all along their way back to their set of rooms. Khem was carrying a large bag that was bleeding over his shoulder. But they weren’t. Sihobeon chalked it up to the fact that nobody wanted to ask a Dashade or the Sith he following why said Dashade was toting around bag that was leaving a trail. It didn’t hurt that Khem kept chuckling in glee and Sihobeon carried an ignited lightsaber.

 

Apparently they cut a terrifying picture.

 

#

Sihobeon had her own ship. And it, she was oddly happy to see, came with a freakishly large fridge and freezer. Big enough for four Trandosians if the opportunity ever presented itself. She even got an adorably nervous protocol droid.

 

Sihobeon came to the decision to call the droid 2V. The droid really was adorable. Khem loathed it immediately.

 

“ _One should never trust metal things_.” Khem cast a suspicious glance at 2V and stalked away.

 

“I’m ready for departure.” Sihobeon smiled at the droid.

 

The poor thing actually squeaked and scurried off to do her biding.

 

Sihobeon was going to like having her own ship. She was going to like it very much.


	8. Sihobeon 8

Balmorra was…..interesting. That was the only word she could find to describe it. She saw signs that it used to be gorgeous. She had read old battle reports on it; Lord Teaw had insisted Sihobeon learned about the war that made it to where Sihobeon was being sent to the Academy. The only thing she took away from reading all those reports was that there had to be  better way to get control of planet than just bombing it out. Who would want to rule a bombed out shell? She thought much the same about Taris.

 

At least Major Bessiker was helpful. Khem disliked him as well but Sihobeon found the older man oddly perfect. Bessiker was amusing to say the least. If Sihobeon was at all interested in having a tup then she could very easily convince the Major to fuck her, he seemed interested enough. But she wasn’t and he wasn’t going to press.

 

#

“My Lord, why do you need these papers about troop movement?” Major Bessiker asked with genuine confusion in his eyes.

 

Sihobeon thought quickly, she had to give a reason why a Sith that was just visiting would need troop movements. “Because I am bored while I wait for you to locate that scientist.” Sihobeon drawled out, causally throwing her head back over the arm of the chair.

 

She was currently lounging in a chair, legs throw over one side, back and backside in the seat of the chair, head haphazardly resting on the other arm.

 

“I need something to do.” Sihobeon flipped the pages of an actual hard copy magazine she had found. She tossed the magazine over the back of the chair and tried not cringe at her own obnoxiousness. She hated pretending to be such a bore. But the ever pressing game. “I can’t go out and eat people to entertain myself.”

 

Sihobeon was talking about Khem. The Dashade had amused himself by going out and hunting. Sometimes he brought back trophies. The trophies were always limbs which he would munch out. He reserved the severed limbs of actual people for when he was waiting with Sihobeon while Major Bessiker and his lackey tried to locate the doctor.

 

Khem openly eating people seemed to freak out the lackey but Major Bessiker took it in his stride. Sihobeon was even more impressed with the Major. It really was too bad she abhorred being touched by people.

 

“I’m fairly certain reading troop movements will bore you more than a simple magazine about fashion, my Lord.” Bessiker tried to keep the amusement out of his voice.

 

“Call me ‘My Lady’, please. I’m not a Sith Lord yet, Major.” Sihobeon winked at the man. “And I might could come up with better suggestions.” Sihobeon turned an imploring eye to the Major. “Please, Major Bessiker. I am so bored.” Sihobeon almost yelled the last word.

 

Major Bessiker did snicker then. And Sihobeon got a glimpse that she reminded him of a friend he had back on Dromund Kaas. She would beg and loaf the same way Sihobeon did. He rather liked his friend and was sad when she died by Gundark attack.

 

“As you wish,” Major Bessiker dared to wink back at Sihobeon, “my Lady.”

 

His lackey’s eyes got round and left in a huff of indignation; Sihobeon and Major Bessiker shared a laugh at the lackey’s expense.

 

“I’ll see to it that you get those papers.” Bessiker half bowed and left.

 

Sihobeon shook her head and sank deeper into her slouch. It really was a shame. Bessiker was a fine older gentleman.

 

#

Sihobeon studied her nails; it might be a good idea to have one that was a point. For toothpick purposes if nothing else. There was a famed manicurist in Sobrik, Sihobeon would have to set an appointment up to see him. Or was it a her? Sihobeon shook herself out of her thoughts and looked at her surroundings.

 

The cave was like any other cave on practically any other planet. Sihobeon was amazed at how similar caves were no matter where a person was in the galaxy.

 

She heard Khem outside catch his quarry. It was a large hulking lizard beast that seemed to pray off the unwary. Bessiker had mentioned to her that those things were a nuisance to all who traveled and she had set Khem to clearing out the nest as it were. Khem didn’t mind, it kept him fed enough that he barely felt the urge to nibble at the people in Sobrik –which was a good thing for all involved.

 

Sihobeon went back to looking at her nails, deciding which fingernail would be the least bothersome if it was pointed. She sensed somebody approaching but she also sensed that the individual wanted to have an element of surprise.

 

So Sihobeon wasn’t too shocked when a rough male voice sprang out of nowhere with a surly, “Hey.”

 

“Are we painting the posies?” Sihobeon said, not looking at the where the figure was. He was still cloaked and she wanted to keep up the illusion that she wasn’t special. What she said was also the agreed upon code phrase. Balkar suggested it and Sihobeon felt dumb just saying it.

 

“You’re my contact then?” The figure uncloaked himself, the voice belonged to a surly looking bright pink Twi’lek.

 

Sihobeon thought he was attractive in an absentminded way; she had stopped thinking people were attractive three months after she arrived at the Academy. It was strange, that shade of pink was rarely seen.

 

“Yes.” Sihobeon answered. Measuring the Twi’lek as much as he was measuring her.

 

“You got the goods?” The Twi’lek crossed his arms and glared at Sihobeon as if he expected her to have dragged him out to the middle of nowhere for no reason other than her amusement.

 

“Right here.” She held out a sheaf of paper.

 

He grunted and took the proffered papers. The papers looked like a bundle of hard copy magazines. He raised a brow ridge at Sihobeon but he looked through the pages.

 

“Hard copy fashion magazine?” He snorted in admiration despite himself. “Clever.”

 

“I’ve been doing this for a while.” Sihobeon let her bitterness shine through.

 

The Twi’lek met her gaze. His eyes were green. He would definitely be attractive Sihobeon thought dispassionately. The Twi’lek seemed to understand what Sihobeon meant.

 

“Sleeper?” He placed the sheaf of magazines in a hidden pants pocket, raking his gaze up and down Sihobeon body; calculating.

 

“Indeed.” Sihobeon took the Twi’lek’s momentary distraction to peruse him as well. He was probably thirty four to thirty five years old. He had the hardened muscles and body language of somebody that had been at war since childhood.

 

He grunted again. Ran his gaze over Sihobeon again, taking longer this time around. Sihobeon waited for the inevitable meeting of gazes. When their eyes met for a third time there was mild understanding and definite interest.

 

“What’s your name?” He didn’t make a move towards her but Sihobeon still felt as if he was right in front of her.

 

“Akure.” Lord Teaw had come up with Sihobeon’s code name. Sihobeon still shuddered whenever she thought too hard about it.

 

“Zenith.” The Twi’lek quirked a smile.

 

“Nice to meet you Zenith.” Sihobeon slide her gaze to just outside the cave. Khem was still devouring the lizard creatures.

 

“Nice to meet you Akure.” Zenith’s eyes slide to the entrance of the cave as well. “Yours?” He was asking about Khem.

 

“Mine.” Sihobeon lifted her shoulder in a shrug.

 

Zenith sucked on his top lip and shook his head from side to side.

 

“Sith?”

 

“Pretending to be.” Sihobeon lifted up a hand and let a crackle of lightning play between her fingers.

 

Zenith raised his brow ridge higher. “How long you here?”

 

“Don’t know.” Sihobeon rubbed a hand over her hair. What was Zenith trying to work around?

 

#

Sihobeon looked at Major Bessiker’s son -Hiran. He looked like his father. But where Major Bessiker had a kind and friendly face, Hiran had a mean and unpleasant face.

 

Sihobeon sucked her top lip. She admitted she was still distracted by her strange conversation she had with Zenith and wasn’t really paying attention to what Hiran was saying.

 

“I guess I could let you out.” Sihobeon looked off to the side, feigning boredom. In reality she was exceedingly nosey about why Hiran was on Balmorra.

 

Hiran said some unpleasant things, threats mostly. Sihobeon flicked her fingers from Khem to him, signaling the ok for Khem to eat the Sith. Khem growled and stalked closer to the prison. Hiran shut up.

 

“I’ll let you go. But if I see you again I’ll let Khem eat you.” Sihobeon cocked an insolent eyebrow at the obnoxious Sith.

 

Hiran turned pale and promised he would remain unobtrusive. But then the little shit said something disparaging about Major Bessiker.

 

“Khem?” Sihobeon called as she walked off. All she heard was a whimper then blissful silence. “Thank you, Khem.”

 

Sihobeon glanced over her shoulder as they exited the resistance base, Hiran under Khem’s arm but alive.

 

“Dump him there.” Sihobeon pointed vaguely at a group of boulders.

 

She and Khem had hiked far enough away from the base so as to ensure that unless Hiran was a complete dumbass, he wouldn’t get recaptured.

 

Khem dropped the young Sith like a sack of tubers.

 

“ _Is he for eating?_ ” Khem inquired hopefully.

 

“No, sorry, Khem. I’ll let you eat some people on our way back to Sobrik, alright.” Sihobeon knelt down beside Hiran and placed her hands on either side of his head. Hiran was going to wake up with a new appreciation of his father.

 

#

Sihobeon still felt the effects of the Colicoid serum. Days after she took the serum and retrieved the artifact she was still feeling the urge to consume toxic waste. She also noticed enhanced abilities.

 

As she waited with yet another sheaf of flimsie, more troop movements she had sweet talked Major Bessiker to get her –he was really thankful she freed his son –disguised as magazines in yet another cave on Balmorra, she thought about the changes she was going through and she wondered at the future implications. Balmorra, she thought suddenly, was beautiful in a really depressing way.  

 

She had sent Khem back to the ship, the Dashade had grumbled but not overly much, she had let him take back with him several of those lizard things’ bodies.

 

“You again.” Zenith’s voice popped up from beside her.

 

“Me.” Sihobeon passed off the magazines again, still gazing at the scenery.

 

“You done with the planet?” Zenith filled the magazines away in yet another secret pocket.

 

“Yep.” Part of her cover was to move from place to place. She wasn’t a stationary sleeper agent.

 

“Ever going to see you again?” He asked leaning against a rock, looking out over the stark view.

 

“Doubtful.” Sihobeon used her newly pointed pinky to pick at imaginary food between her teeth. She had decided her pinky on her left hand would be the perfect nail to have sharpened. She even had the manicurist put a metal implant on her nail to help with the point.

 

“You wanna?” Zenith jerked his head towards the inside of the cave.

 

Sihobeon smirked and shook her head. “Thanks, but no.” While he was attractive, the very idea of letting somebody touch her intimately made her nauseated.

 

“Not your type?” Zenith turned to study her.

 

“Not that. You’d definitely be on my list of types. It’s my previous op.” Sihobeon really hoped she wouldn’t have to elaborate.

 

“Ah.” He understood completely. “I know that kind of op.”

 

They stood in silence. Sihobeon looking at the barren wasteland, Zenith looking at her, both wishing things were different.

 

“Good luck out there.” Zenith said finally.

 

“You too.” Sihobeon

 

Zenith cloaked himself. Sihobeon waited a few minutes before picking her way over the rocky ground.

 

#

Sihobeon got back to her ship and found droids parts all in the lounge area.

 

“Khem!” Sihobeon yelled. “What in the fuck did you do to 2V?” She kicked what used to be 2V’s head.

 

“ _You cannot trust metal things._ ” Came Khem’s defensive reply.

 

“What did 2V ever do to you, Khem?” Sihobeon narrowed her eyes at her Dashade.

 

“ _He told me I could not bring my snacks onto the ship. I told him I could._ ” Khem crossed his arms, and if possible, looked surlier than usual at being denied his way.

 

“Did you tell 2V I said it was ok?” Sihobeon place both hands on her hips and glared.

 

Khem had the decency to look embarrassed. “ _I shouldn’t have to tell the mental thing that I have your permission._ ”

 

Sihobeon pinched the bridge of her nose. “Khem, babe, you…” She stopped. She hadn’t a clue on how to explain to Khem that 2V was her droid, and the steward of her ship and Khem was viewed as a guest by the droid and as such would need to convey to 2V that the Dashade had her permission. “Khem,” Sihobeon gestured to the pile of the droid formerly known at 2V, “you can’t destroy 2V because you are annoyed. Or when ze disagrees with you.”

 

Khem grumbled, crossed his arms, and stalked away to the room he preferred. Sihobeon sighed.

 

Shifting through parts with her shoe, Sihobeon wondered where 2V’s chip was. She had just programmed the droid on how to make her favorite tea and uploaded the entirety of her music library so she could use the droid as a portable music player and, as that had taken five hours, she was not about to put in a requisition form for a brand new droid.

 

“Fucking Dashade.” Sihobeon grumbled as she spied 2V’s chip. 2V was just going to have to hang out in the ship until she could order the droid another body, this one was totaled and not salvable.

 


	9. Sihobeon 9

Sihobeon was obsessed with Nar Shaddaa. It was so bright, glittery, sparkling, cacophonous, it was a brilliant mess. And she loved it the minute she landed.

 

“Khem!” Sihobeon latched onto the Dashade and pointed off to her right. “Look! A Jedi! An actual Jedi that isn’t trying to kill me!” Sihobeon waved at the Jedi. “Hello Jedi!”

 

The Jedi blanched, made to grab his lightsaber, thought a second, then scurried off.

 

“Awww,” Sihobeon’s shoulders fell. “He didn’t want to talk. Khem, you didn’t frighten the poor thing away did you?” Sihobeon turned an accusatory eye to Khem, only to realize he wasn’t there. “Khem?”

 

Sihobeon looked around in mild panic before finally spotting him. He was eyeing somebody’s poor akk dog.

 

“Khem,” Sihobeon pulled on the Dashade’s arm, “I promised you a nice fat Sith Lord. We do not eat people’s pets.”

 

Khem grumbled but he let Sihobeon lead him away. He was less impressed by the Promenade than she was. Keeping one hand on Khem’s arm and using the other to pick up things and point out new sights, Sihobeon quickly lost herself in the glory of Smuggler’s Moon. She didn’t notice that she was being followed.

 

#

 

Aric’s eyes hurt. Nar Shaddaa was too bright. Dorne was impressed with it oddly enough, but after being posted on Taris for almost her entire Republic military career, Aric couldn’t blame her. Aric had been to Nar Shaddaa several times. And he hated it every time.

 

Aric noticed Rhiawen was also less than impressed with the moon. She kept looking around in mild distaste. Aric was standing guard as Rhiawen and Dorne purchased things to restock the ship, they figured they might as well while they waited to meet their SIS contact.

 

Aric was looking around when he caught sight of what could only be describe as a monster. A blue and red eight foot tall monster that was all muscle with teeth and claws thrown in.

 

“Boss, you see that?” Aric tapped Rhiawen on the shoulder and pointed at the monster.

 

“Who in the fuck would bring a Dashade to Nar Shaddaa?” Rhiawen whistled. “Either they’re really paranoid or there’s gonna be an assassination.” Rhiawen shook her head and went back to shopping.

 

Aric mulled over the new bit of information. So that monster was called a Dashade. Interesting.

 

Aric kept one eye on the Dashade and one eye on Rhiawen and Dorne. Especially when the monster and its owner moved closer. Aric snorted, of course, it was a Sith, he would recognize the type of lightsaber any day.

 

“Khem,” the Sith was saying, “I promised you a nice fat Sith Lord. We do not eat people’s pets.”

 

Aric heard the Dashade grumble a response. But Aric was frozen in place. He recognized that voice. He would recognize that voice any day, anytime, anywhere. It was ingrained in his memory until he died. Von. Sihobeon. His Sihobeon was alive.

 

Aric grabbed Rhiawen arm as she walked past him. “Rhiawen, boss.”

 

Rhiawen stopped; Aric never said her name in front of others. She glanced around, Dorne was two booths down. “What is it Aric?” Rhiawen asked softly. The Cathar looked like he had just seen a ghost.

 

“I need to follow a lead.” His eyes sought her’s. A wordless plea.

 

“Of course, Aric.” Rhiawen readily agreed.

 

“Thanks.” Aric smiled swiftly, dropping Rhiawen arm, before quickly disappearing in the crowd.

 

Rhiawen shrugged, went to the booth Dorne was at. What was wrong with Aric?

 

“Lieutenant,” Dorne spoke as Rhiawen came to stand beside her, “Where is Sergeant Jorgan?”

 

“He needed to follow a lead.” Rhiawen smiled at the booth proprietor.

 

Dorne smiled uncertainly; she was unused to the indulgence Rhiawen allowed her squad. “Sir, we have to go meet Balkar.”

 

“That’s fine, Jorgan will catch up.” Rhiawen shrugged her shoulders and walked off, Dorne trailing her wake. “Now, let’s go see what the delightful Balkar has for me.”

 

#

 

Sihobeon felt like she was being watched. She used the technique she established while at the Academy. She slowed, walked behind several trees, stopped behind the last one she walked by, pulled out her datapad, sat down on the nearest bench and pretended to read. Khem grumbled but took his customary position behind her. Now she just had to wait.

 

#

 

Aric lost sight of her. He lost her. He lost Sihobeon. Again. He couldn’t pick up her scent again, the promenade was too crowded. Growling in frustration, Aric headed to the meeting with Balkar. His mind in a tent on Tatooine, three years ago.

 

#

 

Sihobeon was shocked. Aric? Could it have really been Aric? Had he seen her? Sihobeon felt lightening crackle as she shivered. Oh the implications. He can’t see me. He has to believe I’m dead. He has too.


	10. Sihobeon 10

Sihobeon placed a staying hand on Khem as the pair entered the room they were to meet Rylee and Destris in. But the meeting was not going to go as planned.

 

The room was a maelstrom of angry auras, most focused on the figure currently on holo. She was not in the mood to deal with unfettered emotions, not after the emotional shock of seeing Aric on the Promenade.

 

The figure on the holo could only be Lord Paladius. A fat, idolatrous Sith Lord. His skin tone was a dark shade of red, more red than Ffon or any other Sith Pureblood she had seen. He oozed obsequiousness.

 

“Oh, Destris, dear brutish Destris.” Lord Paladius even sounded obsequious –Sihobeon wanted to gag. “And Rylee –so beautiful and intelligent! You were like children to me, which is why it pains me to do this.”

 

“You can cut the act, Paladius.” Destris was saying, his voice rasping in barely concealed rage. “You never cared about any of your ‘children’.”

 

“We don’t need a tyrant for a father.” Rylee’s cool voice sounded quietly.

 

Sihobeon’s eyebrows rose on her forehead, so much difference between the two. How interesting.

 

“Ha.” Paladius studied his nails in languid fascination. “Well said. Marvelous last words. Truly. I expected nothing less, which is what makes this so hard.” Paladius yawned, his mouth opening like a wound. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. My other children would like to play with you.” Paladius ended the call.

 

Khem looked at Sihobeon for permission, he wanted to play.

 

“Do it, but leave those two,” she pointed at Rylee and Destris, “alive.”

 

Khem’s gleeful chuckle was the only response Sihobeon received. She rolled her eyes and watched as the would be assassins were mauled and shredded before Khem starting stuffing bits of the failed assassins down his gullet.

 

Destris and Rylee watched Khem with varying degrees of morbid captivation. Sihobeon chose that moment to delicately pick her way over the puddles of blood and bits of flesh. She wiggled her fingers in a pert wave as she came to a stop in front of the shocked Destris and Rylee.

 

“What have we here?” Destris pulled himself together first. “The cavalry looks like. Appreciate the help,” a nervous look to Khem, “but I have everything under control.”

 

_“Show my master some respect, weakling, or I would be all too happy to consume you.”_ Khem punctuated his sentence with the rending of somebody’s hand from the arm.

 

Destris swallowed, took a step back.

 

“Easy, Destris. This isn’t some holo you’re talking to.” Rylee eyed Khem apprehensively before bowing to Sihobeon. “My Lord.”

 

“You’d be wise to follow her lead.” Sihobeon cut her eyes to Rylee, sounding every bit as pompous as Paladius and hating herself.

 

“’Course, my lord. Sorry.” Destris sketched an impudent bow.

 

Sihobeon arched an eyebrow and put a staying hand on Khem.

 

“There was a lady Sith a while back, Darth Zash. Said she’d send someone to help us out. You it?” Destris crossed his arms and looked even more skeptical.

 

Sihobeon couldn’t blame him; he was older than her by a couple of years. Sihobeon mirrored his posture. “I might be.”

 

“Good.” Destris’ aura spiked in an alarming manner but before Sihobeon could pinpoint why it was alarming it was back to normal. “Because it makes me sick to think Paladius is out there while I’m cooped up in this rat hole.”

 

Sihobeon studied her nails; she needed to find a manicurist. Usually if you were silent and looked mildly interest then people would keep talking. It proved a truism.

 

“Paladius built his empire on the back of the poor.” Rylee was the first to spill. “Said he’d save them from their miserable lives.”

 

“Said we’d make a mighty sword and strike against our enemies. It was all lies.” Destris took up the story next. “But you win the support of the poor, you knock Paladius’ legs our from under him.”

 

Sihobeon spared a tiny smile. “The masses will worship me by dawn.”

 

“Get ‘em the way Paladius did –find the biggest, most vicious gang on the block and crush them.” Destris’ aura spiked again. So, he was prone to violence, not good for a cult leader. “Right now, that gang’s the Krayts, named after the krayt dragon on Tatooine. Their leader Saben thinks he’s descended from one. Take out Saben, and the masses will see you as a regular hero.”

 

“Why should I be content to emulate Paladius?” Sihobeon rolled her eyes. Really? She was trying o be different from Paladius, a savior. Emulating that wind-bag wasn’t going to win her any brownie points.

 

“You’re right, my lord.” Rylee smiled nervously. “There are cleverer ways to steal Paladius’ power.” Ryle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her aura spiked in fearful confidence. Interesting. “A plague called ‘The Rot’ afflict the poorest of Nar Shaddaa’s poor. But it can be cured, and the person who does so will be regarded not just as a hero, but as a prophet.” Rylee smiled, unsure if she was going to get electrocuted or not.

 

Sihobeon got a sudden glimpse of how Paladius ran his cult. No wonder Destris and Rylee react like kicked dogs. Paladius electrocutes people that please him and annoy him equally. Sihobeon made a note to never use her powers to punish. She’d lose whatever tenuous hold she had on the cult if she did. She had to be as different from Paladius as possible.

 

“Prophet?” Sihobeon let her face fall into a calculating mask. “Now that, more to my taste.”

 

“I’m glad you approve, my lord.” Rylee was definitely a kicked dog. She looked like she still expected to be punished for her good idea because Sihobeon hadn’t thought of it first.

  
“The cure to the Rot is owned by Tydis Neutronics. You’ll have to steal it from their warehouse, then distribute it.”

 

Sihobeon made a show of thinking about it. She already knew which one Khem wanted. He wanted to fight the gang because he’d get more to eat that way.

 

“In this case, I’d rather be loved then feared.” Sihobeon felt Khem’s disapproval. She would have to tell him later that she’d still let Khem eat the gangster. It sounded like the gang was harrowing her future people and she was not about to let that continue.

 

“Good.” Rylee flinched. “But be careful. The warehouse if heavily guarded, but if you can steal the cure and distribute it in the Corellian Sector, you’ll own the lower classes.”

 

Sihobeon inclined her head, a fraction, indicating she heard Rylee then walked out, Khem her disappointed shadow.

 

“Khem,” Sihobeon sighed as she waited at the taxi stand. “You do realize that I’m going to still let you eat those gangsters, right?”

 

Khem’s face lit up in glee; it was adorable how the promise of disemboweling people made the Dashade so happy. Just in a very, very disturbing way. She shook her head. If only all things were as simple as making her monster happy.

 

#

 

Sihobeon spat in disgust as the last ‘guard’ of Tydis Neutronics died. This place wasn’t well guarded and what little guards were there were useless. Most took one look at Khem and pissed their pants, making it easier for Sihobeon to electrocute them.

 

Sihobeon leaned against the lab table, searching through Tydis’ records. It had the cure for the Rot, she wondered what other cures or research was out there. Tydis was into some not so ethical work. Oh, a pathogen that wipes of Evocii. Now that’s not very nice. But it is very useful. Sihobeon downloaded all of Tydis Neutronics’ information onto her second datapad and watched Khem playing with the true last guard. Rather like a manka cat and a mouse.

 

Sihobeon used her second datapad to send a message to her SIS contact. Telling him she had some useful information that the Republic might want. Oddly enough, he sent back a reply straight away. Oh, he must be on Nar Shaddaa. Even more interesting.

 

“Khem!” Sihobeon finished the download, wiped Tydis Neutronics’ memory, and pocketed the cure. “Are you quite finished?”

 

Khem had ripped the man’s foot off and one of his arms and was currently watching the man try to crawl around only using one arm. Exactly like a manka cat and mouse.

 

“Khem. Either eat him or let him go.” Sihobeon pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt really bad for the guard, she knew it was her fault Khem was taking such a long time to finish him.

 

Khem grumbled, stalked over to where the man was trying to crawl away and crushed his head like an over rip melon by stepping on it. Khem laughed at the sound. She tried not to vomit. Khem tore odd the rest of the guard’s arm and leg, balanced the leg around his neck, began munching on the arm, and looked to Sihobeon expectantly.

 

Sihobeon’s smile was one of indulgence. She might have to let Khem gorge himself on gangsters before they do anything else.

 

“Khem, remember how we snuck past all those gangster trying to get here?” Sihobeon said as they walked towards the exit, Khem grunted around a mouthful of arm. “Well, feel free to eat as many as you want while I’m curing people.”

 

Khem’s next grunt was one of satisfaction.

 

Sihobeon’s suspicion was confirmed. Khem was torturing that poor guard to force Sihobeon to see reason. A terrible type of reason but reason. Sihobeon sighed and exited the building.


End file.
